The present invention describes a technique for determining location of condensates within lamps.
The location of condensate within the HID lamp prior to starting is a matter of importance to lamp designers. The ability to identify the location of condensates provides lamp designers with additional information with which they may evaluate lamp performance during starting with respect to design specifications.
One example of controlling lamp condensate location is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,050, where an arc tube is designed which provides a heat reflective coating on the outside surface of the bottom region of the arc tube. By reflecting heat into certain areas of the arc tube, other areas are kept cooler and this is where a lamp fill additive will condense.
The present invention is a method for determining whether the condensate is on the lamp electrodes or the arc tube surface.